Shards

You Couldn't Say Before Passing Out?

Octavia snaps around in surprise.

A laugh shines in Shard's eyes. "Unlike others around here, I don't have a problem with whispering because enhanced hearing makes whispering useless."

Mindy glares at Shard.

He crosses his arms. "Gee. You're welcome for letting your friend see you off."

"See me off?" Mindy rasps.

"Yep. You're being sedated and brought back home, just as I told Sweethart. You'll be sent back with Lucy and Ajax."

"You're sedating her? Is that necessary?" Octavia asks.

"Yeah. Because unlike your directionally challenged self, I believe Winters can keep better track of where she's going, even in the state she's in. Also, transport is less stressful on her body. I underestimated Winters last time. I'm not doing it again. Your blondeness will not deceive me, again." Shard grins.

Mindy would've spit fire if she had the strength to. Octavia wishes she did because she knows how much Mindy hates the old stereotype. The Blue Coat does spare an unamused glance almost on behalf of her.

Shard chuckles. "You've always been an exception, Styx."

"Sticks?" Mindy says.

"Yes. I call her Styx because she sticks you with needles and whatever she injects you with usually burns like hell. You'll see in a moment." He looks at Styx. "You can go ahead." He waves his hand outside the door and the men enter.

Octavia looks away from them when she hears Mindy gasp. She crushes Octavia's hand.

"Octi..." Mindy mumbles. "I'm coming back for you. I'm..." Her hand goes limp in Octavia's.

For a moment, Octavia thinks Mindy is dead. Her breath and heartbeat are sharply cut off until she sees Mindy's breath and the line beating a steady pulse on the monitor.

Shard slips Mindy's hand out of Octavia's and takes her shoulders. He guides Octavia away. "They gotta take her now." He motions with his head towards the men. "They won't hurt her."

Octavia half-heartedly fights against Shard. She doesn't want to delay Mindy going home, unless Shard is lying. Did she just move out of the way for Mindy's execution? Should she fight? What good will it do if she does? What could she accomplish? Octavia teeters between moving towards Mindy and away from her.

Shard takes Octavia's wrist. "Let's let them take care of her." He pulls her towards the door.

"Take care of her?" Worry widens Octavia's eyes.

"Not that kind but the legitimate kind." Shard pulls her out of the room. "Unfortunately, you're gonna have to trust me.".

Fighting would put them all in more danger. Octavia knows Shard is always armed. More guns is the last thing Mindy needs. Octavia unwillingly lets him lead her away. They walk in the hall.

"And if something worse happens to her?" Octavia says.

"You'll have all rights to never trust me again, even if it's not my fault," Shard tells her.

"I already don't trust you."

"Fair. But if she's okay after all this, will you?"

"No."

"Fine..."

"And how am I supposed to know she'll be okay?"

"I'll show you tonight." After a pause, Shard gasps excitedly.

His sudden noise startles Octavia.

"We'll have a slumber party!!" Shard's voice carries too much excitement. It echoes in the hall. He claps his hands over his mouth for a second before waving them happily at his sides. "I'll spend the night with you, and we'll stay up late. Just you and me and the nightwatch guards. It'll be a blast!"

"Oh, no," Octavia says.

"Oh, yes!" Shard jumps and claps his hands. He retakes Octavia's wrist and swings it as he skips along. "We'll have movies, snacks. Oo! We can even have popcorn! Maybe a pillow fight, too. Oh! Oh! Can we have one like in the movies where we're in our underwear?"

"NO."

Octavia snatches her wrist from Shard and keeps pace next to his skipping.

"You are no fun," he says.

"You are perverted and sick in the head!"

"I can see why you think that."

"Think? You ar-!"

Shard cuts her off to rattle off more things they could do and have at their 'slumber party'. The only good thing she sees coming from this is potentially getting a pillow to sleep with - something she had taken for granted in the past. Waking up without criks in her neck and with full sensation in her arms sounds nicer than she thought it would.

Nothing else about this seems good, especially not getting a break from Shard. And having to worry about him scaring her if she falls asleep.